Single-Player Only Games on the Rise

Hot source.

The number of console titles released with multiplayer is decreasing, says game industry market research firm EEDAR.

Speaking at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, EEDAR co-founder Geoffrey Zatkin revealed that in 2013 the percentage of games with no multiplayer support rose to around 46 per cent of all released retail titles. That’s the highest figure since 2009.

The generally perceived notion is that publishers are seeking to increase the longevity and market appeal of traditionally single-player franchises by tacking-on competitive multiplayer modes. However, that trend seems to be on the slide.

Meanwhile, the prevalence of co-op is on the rise. In 2013, around 38 per cent of retail console titles featured co-op play, up from 29 per cent the previous year. In 2007 that figure was just 18 per cent.

Honest to god hope this keeps up. The only online trend is definitely worrying and I just don't see how it can be as profitable than a completely offline game or at least releasing an offline portion of a game that everyone can go out, buy and play and not just those with high speed fibre etc. Wouldn't only online reduce sales and profit straight out the gate by cutting out offline folk/bad internet users? Baffling.

Good, I prefer SP games anyways.

I prefer online games. Tired of playing against predictability AI.

yea.... I've never really been huge on multiplayer games outside of Team Fortress Classic, Quake, and Hidden: Source. last gen was primarily single-player based for me... point and click adventures, shmups, hack-n-slash, etc.

I've owned an xbox 360 since 2010, but I have honestly never subscribed to XBL Gold in the 4 years that I've owned it. my most played game last gen is probably mushihimesama futari ver. 1.5 (360).

..... you realize that article gamespot posted a few weeks back "most profitable games in the industry" are ALL online-only games right?

Well not shit sherlock..... Its easier to sell players content in a MP only game.

well that's mind blowing.

Good. Most online multiplayer games are crapola.

Good News, IMO. Online games are great if there is a compelling reason for the online. Tacking on MP to your SP focused game takes resources away from the central game to create a forgettable online experience.

Single player are the only reason why i still play games

i really hate those multiplayer games that developers sell at full price

sarcasm? not sure :O

I prefer multi, very few SP games have the potential to make me want to play it more than once. Prefer co-op the most though.

Not sarcasm lol.

That's only because SONY online is not up to par right now once they sell some more games they will continue to kickstart the online part of the ps4 they are really lacking the servers right now

Ditto, I prefer my multiplayer titles on PC and even then I'm very selective because the majority are hot garbage.

Now give us some amazing RPG's.

comment makes no sense lol. Someone translate!

Ditto, that's largely why I've been loyal to the Playstation brand.

I'm going out on a limb and guessing you're an Xbox gamer. Most of the best games last gen were single-player focused, unless you just want to frag-off to mindless FPS all day.

This is how I was pretty much late into 7th gen, I hope with these "next-gen" consoles that they will improve AI, especially with both companies heading towards cloud technology.

He says that Sony needs more money to make its servers work.

Sony had quite a good deal of servers last gen for first party so I think they'll be fine lol.

@misterpmedia: I like a little of both, so I'm fine with this. I would love some decent single play games like Kingdom of Amular, Super Mario Galaxy, Dragon's Crown, Tomb Raider, Red Dead Redemption, Bioshock Infinite, No Ni Kuni, The Walking Dead, etc....

SP games on the rise?

As it should.

Good...I love a good single player experience.

Sounds like that quote from the OP is just saying that single player games with "tacked on" multiplayer are decreasing, which is good news. As someone who mostly plays multiplayer games, I still want a good balance in the market because I also really enjoy story-driven single player games, but I'm very selective with those and great ones are harder to come by these days.

A game should have a clear indentity, and not do stuff just to increase sales. I wish there was a campaign in TF, but at the same time I'm happy all their efforts were spent on the online because it excells in that departement. Better to do one thing very well, rather than 2 things not too well. As long as there is a balance in the market, I think online-heavy games and SP games can co-exist peacefully. Since there is definitely a demand and a market for both, I'm not too concerned right now. Case in point: The new Batman game that was announced recently......if memory serves me right, they said it will not have an online component.

I'm not saying there isn't any room for them I just feel like devs are maybe getting 5-10 years ahead of themselves by thinking internet speeds are solid for everyone. Some of the games that have been showcased at last E3 or throughout last year looked amazing until that sentence drops about an always online requirement.

But I agree, some fantastic games in that single player list. I don't want a list like that to reduce in amount.

That's because people can play an online game for at least a year if it's good, no need to flood the market with them. Plus I think people finally realised they couldn't replicate CoD or Battlefield and just gave up.

@misterpmedia:

you talking about which games and what servers? they didn't have my first party online games at one time they was cutting games off so they could use them servers for other games MAG, Warhawk,, motostorm, killzone, them games was so spaced out they really didn't have any servers last gen they was using ps3 for servers and that is not going to work this time

Yeah same. More polished SP games and less tacked-on MP components... Yes please!

This

same here

Bu bu but multiplayer games are the future. Lemmings told me so.

more rpgs plz.

Good, good, good, good......and good.

Nice. The only mp I even play anymore is local... and even then it's not as much as I used to. SP all the way for me.

All we need is more elder scrolls SP.. that is all.. elder scrolls online can **** right off.

I prefer single player games aswell, unless its done right like the souls game, dont mind some local multiplayer every now and then

The only multiplayer game I play is Dota 2. Everything else is single player for me.

I hope it's true and the trend continues.

I detest most MP and always online nearlykilled my HC Witch Doctor the other day.

Fucking hell Blizzard.

Agreed. MP has its place, no doubt. But not even just those lacking the internet, there are still so many gamers that love great SP games. I am one of them. I prefer SP. And I think devs enjoy the creativeness of making them.

Let's hope so. I remember reading something about assassins creed eventually going online only. It's worrying stuff like that I don't like hearing.

@misterpmedia: Much smarter than what Microsoft tried with Titanfall. Microsoft lost a sale with me by only being multiplayer. And I'm sure lost many more sales as well.

Last MP I got into was TLOU. Before that...Battlefield 3 maybe? I can't even remember.

theres only a couple of mp games i really like, and i mostly enjoy sp games. tacked on mp has to go. games like god of war shouldnt have mp...im sorry

Teh SP just got a dandy of a deal for a SP Only on XBL yesterday, Bioshock Infinite for under 10 bucks, yeah baby. :D

Good. It's about time they learned to stop putting tacked-on multiplayer crap on games.

Titanfall is definitely one example...but then there's The Division, The Crew, Deep Down hell even Diablo 3 didn't get a sale from me because it required an internet connection for single player I mean wtf?! Luckily will be getting that for PS4 though which is offline. So many games had me go a little wide eyed to then have them roll back in my head when "online experience". I think the latest is what EA is doing with the new Mirror's Edge, doesn't sound hopeful.

Before I could ever get into any multiplayer game it's single player had to be great first. The only exception is a game like Dark souls where the single player and multipler are inter connected but still has awesome aspects to each one.

I like me some singleplayer but i'm more into co-op/multiplayer type games(left 4 dead, borderlands, destiny). Singleplayer games are usually one and done, they don't offer anything to keep you playing. I do like how dark souls incorporates the invading. Id like more singleplayer games to feature some social/online functions to keep it fresh and wanting to come back(not exactly multiplayer but something along the lines of what dark souls offers)